A touch screen offers a simple, intuitive interface to a computer or other data processing device. Rather than using a keyboard to type in data, a user can transfer information through a touch screen by touching an icon or by writing or drawing on a screen. Touch screens are used in a variety of information processing applications. Transparent touch screens are particularly useful for applications such as cell phones, personal data assistants (PDAs), and handheld or laptop computers.
Various methods have been used to determine touch location, including capacitive, resistive, acoustic and infrared techniques. Touch location may also be determined by sensing the force of the touch through force sensors coupled to a touch surface. Touch screens that operate by sensing touch force have several advantages over other technologies mentioned above. First, force sensors do not require the touch surface to be composed of special materials that may inhibit optical transmission through the touch surface, as in a resistive touch sensor. Further, force sensors do not rely on a lossy electrical connection to ground, as is required by a capacitive touch screen, and can be operated by a finger touch, gloved hand, fingernail or other nonconductive touch instrument. Unlike surface acoustic wave technology, force sensors are relatively immune to accumulations of dirt, dust, or liquids on the touch surface. Finally, a force sensor is less likely to detect a close encounter with the touch surface as an actual touch, which is a common problem with infrared touch screens.
Force based touch screens are potentially prone to errors in reported touch location from a number of sources. A force responsive touch signal produced by touch screen force sensors may be affected by a variety of static and dynamic factors in addition to the touch force. These factors may be considered noise sources with respect to the touch signal. Noise may be introduced through the touch screen electronics, or it may be mechanical in nature. Electrical noise may be introduced, for example, in the touch sensing, amplification, data conversion or signal processing stages. Mechanical noise may arise from torsion of the touch screen, movement of the touch screen device, vibration of the touch screen, and other transient factors. The touch screen force sensors may be affected by the weight of the touch surface and preloading forces applied to the force sensors during manufacture. In addition, noise may be introduced by the touch itself.
The touch force typically changes rapidly throughout the duration of a touch. A touch in a single location produces a touch force signal that increases in magnitude as the touch is applied and then decreases in magnitude as the touch is removed. The touch may also be moved across the surface of the touch screen, generating a changing signal at each force sensor. Accurate determination of the touch location requires analysis of touch force signals generated by the touch force, as well as elimination of the static and dynamic noise signals affecting the touch screen.